City profile · Michigan · Census ACS 2023

Portage, MI

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Portage - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

49,015
Residents
$79,529
Median income
$243,400
Median home
$1,162
Median rent (state)

Portage - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Portage places in the 61st percentile for household income and the 13th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

61st
percentile, household income
54th
percentile, home value
33rd
percentile, median rent
13th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Portage, MI

Portage is a small city in Michigan, home to 49,015 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Portage brings in $79,529 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 5.2%. Home values in Portage run a median of $243,400, and the median resident age is 37.2 years. Educational attainment runs 48.4% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 65.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 80 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 59% from five years earlier. Portage's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 3251.9 in FBI UCR data, above the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Michigan run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Michigan scores 96.2 (Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,162 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Michigan's average monthly utility costs around $238 (state average). Commute times here average 17.2 minutes, with 80.2% driving alone and 11.6% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 81.7 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (High).

Population

49,015 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Michigan

Median Household Income

$79,529 /yr

Poverty 5.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

96.2 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Michigan average

How does Portage compare to other US cities?

Portage measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 61% higher than other cities
Home value 54% pricier than other cities
Median rent 33% pricier than other cities
Safety 13% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Michigan alone, Portage ranks #230 of 254 Michigan cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Portage against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Michigan only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Michigan-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher is Portage's strongest outlier among Michigan cities

Among the 727 Michigan cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Portage ranks #72 - the 90th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Portage only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#139 of 718
81st percentile in Michigan
Median Gross Rent
#352 of 727
47th percentile in Michigan
Median Home Value
#138 of 721
81st percentile in Michigan
Poverty Rate
#465 of 727
35th percentile in Michigan
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#72 of 727
90th percentile in Michigan

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Michigan only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

61stIncome percentile
13thSafety percentile

61st percentile nationally for median household income · 13th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Portage's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Portage's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 44 Avg. percentile National median
Portage's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Portage's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$243,400 46th percentile more affordable than 46% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). This entry sits in this band. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Portage $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Portage, MI Portage, MI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Portage, MI-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Portage, MI median $79,529/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Portage, MI's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Portage, MI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 48.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 65.6%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
49,015
Median Income
$79,529
Median Home Value
$243,400
Median Age
37.2
Poverty Rate
5.2%
Labor force participation
65.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
48.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3251.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
277.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2974.7
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
16
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
48,500 residents49,000 residents49,500 residents50,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 48,940 residents 49,862 residents ▲ +1.9%
Portage's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
80
housing units authorized
Single-Family
80
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 193
2020 135
2021 127
2022 188
2023 250
2024 80

Permit volume decreased 59% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
17.2 minutes
Drive Alone
80.2%
Carpool
5.4%
Public Transit
0.7%
Walk
1.1%
Work from Home
11.6%
Other
1.0%

Based on 25,612 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Michigan - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$105
avg/month
Natural Gas
$85
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$48
avg/month
Total Utilities
$238
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Michigan state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Michigan state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Portage sits in

Cost of Living Index
96.2
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,162/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
81.7 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Michigan

Roseville
47,240 people
Battle Creek
52,392 people
East Lansing
45,394 people
Kentwood
54,114 people
Saginaw
43,879 people
Midland
42,461 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Portage's 49,015 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Biloxi, MS
49,011 people
Titusville, FL
49,004 people
Dublin, OH
49,031 people
Euclid, OH
48,991 people
Antelope, CA
49,080 people
Ceres, CA
48,918 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Portage's $79,529 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Northglenn, CO
$79,530 median income
Northlake, SC
$79,531 median income
White Knoll, SC
$79,531 median income
Terrace Heights, WA
$79,525 median income
Middleborough Center, MA
$79,520 median income
Gothenburg, NE
$79,519 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Portage, MI Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Portage, MI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 82.4% 7.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5.4% White 82.4% Black or African American 5.8% Asian 3.4% American Indian 0.4% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.1% Two or more races 7.0% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Portage compares to nearby Michigan cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Portage (this city) 49,015 $79,529
Roseville 47,240 $61,222
Battle Creek 52,392 $51,699
East Lansing 45,394 $43,547
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MI FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Portage, MI?

What is the population of Portage, MI? +

Portage, MI has a population of 49,015 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Portage, MI? +

In Portage, the typical household earns $79,529 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Portage? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Portage; the closest available measure is the Michigan state average, a cost of living index of 96.2 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Michigan vary by metro area.

Is Portage, MI safe? +

Portage has a total crime rate of 3251.9 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Portage, MI? +

A typical home in Portage is worth $243,400, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.